


Because He's Only Human

by Starsfordreams



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, First Kiss, Grumpy Geralt, M/M, geralt in the bath, or - Freeform, sunshiny jaskier, your pick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:14:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22578397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starsfordreams/pseuds/Starsfordreams
Summary: Geralt isn't welcome in many towns, but Jaskier still manages to find rooms for them
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 12
Kudos: 291





	Because He's Only Human

**Author's Note:**

> I've only seen the Netflix show, all the lore stuff I extrapolated from what was there.

Geralt trudged through the bar on the ground floor of the inn, eager to go upstairs and get out of his now dirty armor and avoid talking to anyone on the way. Jaskier was standing in a corner, trying out a new song he had composed while they were on the road. Not the best he had come up with, but still better than the tragedy of a song he was singing when they met. Besides, Geralt owes the room he’s staying in tonight to those songs, so he didn’t have much room to complain. Jaskier noticed Geralt come in and looked over with a wink. The bard started to become more animated as he sang and started to sing a livelier song that seemed to please the patrons more than the previous song. Geralt just rolled his eyes and grunted, making straight for the stairs. He passed by the bar on his way, and as he did, he could sense the barkeep and the patrons sitting there still and stare at him until he disappeared up the stairs. Not exactly a warm welcome, but not anything unexpected. Everyone was usually uncomfortable around a Witcher. Well, everyone except the bard downstairs, but he was an idiot with few self-preserving instincts. 

Once in the room, Geralt set his sword by the door and removed his armor. He then went over to his bed, grabbed his pack, picked up his armor and sword, and headed back down to clean both out behind the inn. He didn’t really want to go through the bar again, but he didn’t think the inn keeper would appreciate him leaving a pile of monster guts to be cleaned out of the room in the morning and Jaskier would never stop complaining about the smell. So out back it was. As Geralt headed back down the stairs, he noticed that the bar had quieted down some since before. Even Jaskier had stopped singing, which must mean it was later than Geralt thought if Jaskier’s shift was over. As Geralt came down the last few stairs, he heard someone start to shout. Great, the last thing he wanted to deal with was a bar fight. But that’s not what these shouts were about.

At the bar counter, with his back to Geralt, was Jaskier poised like he was ready to hit the innkeeper, who was too busy shouting to notice the Witcher. “You didn’t mention your companion was a Witcher! You have to leave!”

“I’ve just spent 2 hours performing in exchange for that room, we’re staying!” Jaskier shot back.

“His kind isn’t welcome here!” Geralt sighed. While he had been looking forward to sleeping in an actual bed for the first time in weeks, it would be easier if he just left and let Jaskier keep the room. He was used to the hostility of the locals but that was no reason the bard should go without a bed.

Jaskier dropped his fist onto the counter with a crash. “What, the man who just saved your town from monster attacks isn’t welcome to lay his head here?” That made Geralt pause. Jaskier was angrier than Geralt had ever seen him, and even more shocking it was on the Witcher’s behalf. “He’s fucking exhausted from saving your ungrateful asses and just wants a hot meal, a bath, and a place to rest! How is that too much to ask for? Would you dare kick out any other man who did as much for you? He’s a hero! And you’d have him be thrown out into the streets as a thank you! Besides, I’ve already performed for you and paid for the damn bath, we’re not leaving until morning! Good night!” With that Jaskier turned and headed for the stairs, where he found Geralt standing half way up. “Honestly, can you believe the nerve of some people? You risk life and limb for them and they get pissy over a few monster guts.”

Geralt just blinked down at the bard. Was that really what he thought? That he wasn’t welcome in the towns they traveled to because his job was a bit messy?

“Anyway, I showed him! Now, let’s go get you cleaned up, I could smell you two miles away!” Jaskier grabbed the pack out of Geralt’s hands to ensure he would follow then headed back upstairs. When Geralt still didn’t move, Jaskier called back “If you don’t move faster, your bath will be cold by the time you’re up here.”

“Hmm.” Geralt slowly climbed the rest of the stairs, thinking over the argument he had heard. He set his armor in the corner furthest from the bed, since it was still dirty, and went over to the small bathroom. Jaskier had already rolled up his sleeves and started to fill the tub with steaming water. “You can leave your clothes by the door with your armor, we can take care of it later,” he called over his shoulder. Geralt quickly undressed, finally realizing just how much of a mess his clothes were, even after being under the armor the whole time. He climbed into the tub just as Jaskier was finishing pouring in those incredibly perfumed oils he was so fond of. Maybe Geralt really should take how he smelled into consideration, though he doubted that would really affect his popularity as much as the bard seemed to think it would. Which brought him back to his original question about the earlier exchange.

“Do you really believe what you said down there?”

“What? That you’re a hero? Of course, Geralt! You save so many people-“ Jaskier began cheerfully.

“No,” Geralt cut him off. The bard had already tried to convince him he was a hero more times than he could count, despite Geralt’s frequent protests. “That I’m a man.”

“Your hair may be a bit long, Geralt, but I think the proof of that claim is in front of us,” Jaskier said with a smirk and a meaningful glance down at the water.

“Human, Jaskier,” Geralt growled out. “Do you think I’m human?”

“Well, what else would you be? You don’t exactly look like a selkiemor!” Jaskier got up and moved to grab the bath salts.

“No, not like that kind of monster. I-“ How to explain to someone who clearly didn’t understand. “The process to become what I am, to become a Witcher, to gain that mutation, you have to lose something. That’s why they call me unfeeling and kick me out of towns, Jaskier. I’m not human, not one of you.”

Jaskier turned back around, still smiling infuriatingly, and sprinkled the salts into the bath. “Well that’s stupid. You spend all your time saving people from the darkest parts of this world and hardly ever ask for anything in return. What’s more human than that?” The bard crouched down and rested his chin on the far edge of the tub, staring intently at Geralt. 

“That’s not-“

“Look,” said Jaskier, getting back up and walking closer to the front of the tub then crouching down to Geralt’s eye level. “I don’t care how you think humanity is defined, that’s how I’m choosing to define it.” Jaskier’s hand had found it’s way up to cup the side of Geralt’s face, making it difficult for the Witcher to look away. Geralt’s brow furrowed.

“Fucki-“ and then Jaskier kissed him. And everything Geralt was about to say left him.

Jaskier pulled back slowly, still smiling but much more softly now. “Geralt of Rivea, you are the most human person I’ve ever met.”

“Hmm.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are always appreciated! Hit me up on Tumblr. @rageagainstthedyingofthestars


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